1 Police Officer Shot, 2 Wounded on Paris Street; Gunman Dead

The streets of Paris were the site of violence Thursday night, when a gunman opened fire on a parked police van on the Champs-Elysees, one of the most well-known avenues in the world. One police officer was killed in the gun battle and two wounded. The gunman was also shot dead.

The French Interior Ministry is conducting a terrorism investigation. "On the face of it, the officers were deliberately targeted," Interior Ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet told reporters. No names have been released as of yet, though apparently the suspect was known to harbor anti-police feelings.

The French presidential election is in just three days, and how to handle terrorism at home has been a major issue in the campaign, following a series of attacks across European cities. France has been a target multiple times, most recently last July with the Bastille Day attack in Nice. In November 2015, multiple terrorists set off suicide bombs at various locations in Paris.

The U.S. State Department has urged all Americans in Paris to avoid the Champs-Elysees area:

The area has been evacuated of civilians, with a huge police presence while the investigation continues.